Athens, Ga. – The University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine’s annual Open House will be held Friday, April 1, from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. A parade of dog breeds, horseback-riding demonstrations, horseshoeing demonstrations and veterinary hospital tours are just some of the activities that will be available to young and old alike.
The event, sponsored by UGA’s veterinary students, will focus on veterinary medicine as an exciting, rewarding career, and will demonstrate the variety of career options available to veterinary medicine graduates.
“This is a wonderful opportunity for young people to see firsthand the role of today’s veterinarian,” said Dr. Lari Cowgill, faculty adviser for Open House. “Veterinary medicine entails so much more than the care of cats, dogs, horses and cows. What we learn from animal health has a significant impact on public health issues.”
Other tentatively scheduled activities will include hatching quail eggs, face painting, and question and answer sessions with current veterinary students. Children also may assist while veterinary students repair their favorite stuffed playmates in the Teddy Bear Surgery area.
“Open House is the highlight of our spring semester,” said Danielle Dimon, vice president of the class of 2014, which is hosting the event.”It is a chance for us to bring in some of the unusual animals we get to work with, give the public a behind-the-scenes peek at the hospital, and to show off some of our favoriteaspects of veterinary medicine through activities and demonstrations.”
“This is something the entire college looks forward to each year,” said Stephanie Pullin, vice president of the class of 2013 and student chair of the event. “It’s a great way for us to showcase the profession that we’re so proud to be a part of.”
In addition, tours of the small and large animal hospitals will be available all day, with scientific exhibits showcasing every kind of animal from dogs to horses to exotics. Veterinary students will sell snack and lunch items, refreshments and merchandise.
Admission is free and open to the public. Parking will be available at the softball complex on Milledge Avenue with shuttles running to the college throughout the day. Maps will be available to ease navigation through the exhibits. For assistance with sign language interpretation or handicap accessibility, contact Lari Cowgill at 706/542-2318.
The CVM’s open house has been held annually for more than 30 years, and is hosted by the first-year veterinary students, with help from the second-year class. For more information and scheduling updates closer to the event, see www.vet.uga.edu/ERC/openhouse.
The UGA College of Veterinary Medicine, founded in 1946, is dedicated to training future veterinarians, to conducting research related to animal and human diseases, and to providing veterinary services for animals and their owners. Research efforts are aimed at enhancing the quality of life for animals and people, improving the productivity of poultry and livestock, and preserving a healthy interface between wildlife and people in the environment they share. The college enrolls 102 students each fall out of more than 560 who apply. For more information, see www.vet.uga.edu.
The current UGA College of Veterinary Medicine Teaching Hospital, built in 1979, serves more than 18,000 patients per year in one of the smallest teaching hospitals in the United States. The college is currently working to raise $15 million toward building a new Veterinary Medical Learning Center, which will include a new teaching hospital as well as classrooms and laboratories that will allow for the education of more veterinarians. The goal is to increase enrollment to 150 when the Veterinary Medical Learning Center is built. For more information, see http://www.vet.uga.edu/giving/campaign.php.
